Corona Devo 962

Our family is praying for a friend of ours.  He's not in the hospital, sick-in-bed, or stuck in sorrow.  But his need for prayer is dire.  

He's not battling physical armies...it's worse.  He is on the spiritual battlefield, and a war is raging.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  

(13) Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil  ~Ephesians 6:12-13

Maybe you are in prayer for someone in a similar battle-situation.  Maybe it's you.

The back-and-forth saga of good versus evil is gut-wrenching at times, maddening at others, and often hits us where it really hurts.  

But that is exactly the evil one's plan--where is our most vulnerable part?  Expect a blow to that area.  If satan can derail us for a moment, for a relationship, for a mood...he has won for the moment. 

And for the moment we might think so too.  

But the thing about spiritual battles is that God's never finished fighting for us.

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today... (14) The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”  ~Exodus 14:13-14

There is a battle going on behind the spiritual-scenes of what we can understand, but acknowledging that the war is being waged is a good start.  

Asking God into the situation and into our hearts to fight for us (or on another's behalf) is a great next-step.  

But there is still a spiritual back and forth.  The battle wages on...  

Hoorah!  We shared Jesus with our friend, and he had ears to hear.

Ouch! Satan reared his ugly head and distorted things, caused strife, shame, confusion and anger. 

 Hoorah!  In humility we submitted to God and forgave, then God moved again in the situation and in our friend's heart.  Forgiveness won out and the Lord blessed it.  New opportunities to share our faith became available again...

 Ouch!  They (or we) fell to disbelief or disobedience again.

 And so on...It's a war, alright.

Trying to share the truth and love of Christ with others is a war.  We advance a few steps and then fall back a few more.  

They may have a soft heart willing to listen, and then a weed sprouts up and snatches our spiritual-progress with them away.  

God's Word is never wrong, and the unseen battles continue to wage back and forth.  

We might be praying for a friend in the throes of a spiritual battle, but each of us knows that the ground around us is torn up from warring spiritual factions as well.   

Be careful where we step on the spiritual battlefield--there are landmines everywhere.

But God is also everywhere.  You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. ~Psalm 139:5

Praying for others or praying for ourselves today-we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  ~Ephesians 6:12

BUT...keep praying for that friend in the middle of a spiritual battle...

BUT...keep asking God to stand beside you.  

But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.  Before him my persecutors will stumble.  They cannot defeat me.  They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.  Their dishonor will never be forgotten.  ~Jeremiah 20:11

~~~

Hoorah...Ouch...Hoorah!

I can't wait for the next update with our friend's story of faith.  I know there will be one, because the authorities of the unseen world will try again, but just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today... The Lord himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm.”  (Exodus 14:13-14).  

Until next time...just stay calm.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com